The atmosphere on the arena grew increasingly tense.
The Top 10 Challenge Matches were nearing their end, yet one bizarre phenomenon remained—
No one dared to challenge the No.1 ranked fighter, Roy!
Not only that, but even Veil, ranked No.2, was feared by the competitors. So far, only Lin Ming had mustered the courage to challenge him—only to be brutally beaten into the ground.
Now, the remaining three contenders—
Sens, Rank 6
Kiru, Rank 7
Wanna, Rank 10
—had to win their challenge matches, or they would be unable to break into the Top 5!
But the problem was—
Who should they challenge?
Challenge Roy?
Impossible!
Roy's battle record was terrifying!
During the first stage of the secret realm trials, he had single-handedly fought against three Level 35 elite disciples—not only defeating them but emerging completely unscathed!
His sword intent was razor-sharp, and his lightning techniques were overwhelmingly destructive.
More importantly—
Roy's combat style was incredibly difficult to deal with.
He was fast.
His attacks were lethal.
His battle tactics were flawless.
Even Veil had admitted that if he were to fight Roy, he wouldn't be able to take him down easily in a short time.
Challenge Veil?
Even more impossible!
Veil was a Level 36 monster.
Among the Outer Disciples, his physical toughness was second to none. Even if he stood still and let people hit him, they would struggle to deal any significant damage!
On top of that, he possessed—
The "Titan Intent"
A warrior's bloodline
An aggressive, berserker-like combat style
Challenging him?
That was asking for a death wish!
The Only Choice—Alice!
As a result, everyone's eyes turned toward Alice.
——Ranked No.3, Alice!
Of course, she was strong, or she wouldn't have made it into the Top 3.
However—
Compared to Roy's terrifying strength and Veil's monstrous durability, she was clearly the "easiest" to fight!
Level 33
A psychic-type fighter, focused on mental interference, illusions, and healing
Her psychic attacks were troublesome, but at least—
Her physical durability was nowhere near Veil's.
Her offensive power wasn't as overwhelming as Roy's.
For those aiming for the Top 5, challenging Alice was their best chance of winning!
—And just as expected!
Sens, the Rank 6 fighter, stepped forward.
In a loud voice, he declared—
"I challenge the No.3 ranked fighter—Alice!"
The crowd erupted in murmurs—
"Knew it! Of course, Alice would be the one getting challenged… Who would dare go after Roy or Veil?"
"Sens is a dual-element warrior, specializing in wind and lightning. His battle style is all about speed and explosive power—he should be a strong counter to a psychic fighter!"
"Yeah! Mental fighters struggle against high-speed, high-damage warriors. As long as he doesn't get controlled, he can end the fight in a single decisive strike!"
—On the Arena
Alice smiled faintly.
She had expected this outcome from the start.
With a playful smirk, she clapped her hands together lightly.
"Ahh, me again? You guys really think highly of me, huh?"
She leisurely stepped onto the arena, tilting her head slightly as she looked at Sens.
Still smiling, she said, "Alright then, since you're brave enough to challenge me, I'll play with you for a bit."
—Below the Arena
Roy and Veil stood among the spectators, watching the match unfold.
Veil crossed his arms and grinned.
"Heh, Alice must be thrilled—another guy just walked right into her trap."
Roy shook his head, amused.
"Well, she is the 'weakest' of us three."
Alice, who overheard their conversation, instantly turned red with anger.
"HEY! You two! What do you mean by 'weakest'?! Say that again, I dare you!"
Veil burst into laughter.
"Don't be mad! We're actually praising you—for being the most popular target!"
Alice glared daggers at him, then turned back to Sens, raising a finger and beckoning him forward.
"Come on then! Let's see just how strong you really are!"
Sens didn't hesitate for a moment—
In a flash, he transformed into a streak of lightning-infused wind, dashing straight toward Alice!
"Wind Thunder Step!"
A burst of electric light erupted on the arena, his speed soaring instantly—as if he had completely vanished.
In the blink of an eye, he closed the distance, his blade crackling with wind and lightning energy, slashing down fiercely!
"Wind Thunder Slash!"
The blade roared like a thunderstorm, its speed reaching the absolute limit—striking as fast as a lightning downpour!
Yet, Alice remained completely still, her expression calm, as if she had no interest in this attack.
"Mental Barrier."
She gently raised a finger—
A transparent, formless barrier materialized before her.
BOOM!
Sens' lightning-infused blade struck the mental barrier—but was completely stopped, unable to advance even an inch!
"What?!" Sens' expression changed.
He knew Alice's defenses were strong, but he hadn't expected her Mental Barrier to be this unbreakable!
"Mental Disruption."
Alice whispered softly—
A faint blue light flickered in her eyes, and an invisible psychic wave instantly spread outward!
Sens suddenly felt his mind tremble—his thoughts turning chaotic.
His movements faltered for a fraction of a second—his attack rhythm thrown completely off balance!
"Damn it!"
That was the terrifying part of Mental Disruption—
It didn't directly harm the body but messed with the opponent's battle rhythm, making it impossible to fight properly!
But Sens wasn't weak.
He knew that if he allowed himself to be affected for too long, he would fall completely into Alice's tempo!
"Wind Thunder Body!"
He roared—
Wind and lightning energy surged around him, forming a protective aura shield, reducing the effects of Mental Disruption to a minimum.
At the same time, he retreated swiftly, trying to regain control!
"Hmph, trying to escape?"
Alice's lips curled into a sly smile—her hands waved gently.
——"Mental Chains!"
Invisible chains of pure mental energy appeared out of thin air, wrapping toward Sens' limbs!
"Damn it!"
Sens cursed, swinging his blade to cut the chains—
But it was useless.
The Mental Chains weren't physical objects—they were made of pure psychic energy, immune to physical attacks!
——SNAP!
The Mental Chains wrapped around Sens, making his movements sluggish, as if a tremendous weight was dragging him down.
"This woman..."
Sens clenched his teeth.
Now he fully understood—
The most terrifying thing about mental-type fighters wasn't their raw power—it was their ability to suppress and control their opponents!
——Once a psychic fighter controlled the battle rhythm, their enemy would be caught in a never-ending trap!
"Healing Wind."
Alice waved her hand—
A soft green glow surrounded her, replenishing some of her energy while further boosting her psychic and spirit power.
She giggled mischievously—
"Sens, you should feel honored."
She raised a single finger—
A faint blue light shimmered at its tip.
——"Because now, you'll witness my true offensive power."
"Spirit Ripple."
Veil, watching from below, suddenly widened his eyes—
"Shit… this attack looks terrifying!"
Roy folded his arms, smirking slightly.
"She was never weak. And—don't forget, she's an Elf."
Veil's eyes flickered with realization.
"Wait… you're saying—"
Roy nodded subtly.
"She's never told me directly, but I suspect her origins aren't simple."
Veil clicked his tongue.
"...No wonder her skills and techniques are so powerful."
On the Arena—
Alice's attack finally erupted in full force!
"Spirit Ripple—Shockwave!"
A powerful psychic shockwave expanded outward—piercing directly into Sens' consciousness!
His expression changed drastically—
He immediately tried to resist, surging his energy to defend himself!
"Thunder Shadow Step!"
He flashed away—trying to outrun the psychic wave.
But—
Mental shockwaves were area attacks.
They couldn't be dodged entirely!
——BANG!
In an instant—
Sens' mind trembled violently.
His vision became distorted, strange echoing noises rang in his ears, and even his body's movements slowed for a brief moment!
——And in that brief moment—
Alice's true attack arrived!
"Mental Shockwave!"
An invisible burst of psychic force slammed into Sens!
His body trembled violently—stumbling backward, nearly collapsing to his knees!
Though he hadn't lost yet—
His battle rhythm was now completely controlled by Alice!
"Damn it! Why?! Why is she so strong?!"
Sens' face twisted in frustration.
For the first time, he felt an overwhelming sense of helplessness—
Like he was being completely dominated!
Alice clapped her hands gently, smiling playfully.
"Do you want to keep going, Sens?"
On the Arena—
Sens gasped for breath, sweat dripping from his forehead. His eyes burned with resentment and fury.
"Impossible! I refuse to believe this!!"
With a roar, his spiritual energy surged wildly, his robes billowing under the pressure. Lightning flickered, winds howled—at this moment, he seemed to transform into a thunderstorm god of war!
"Wind Thunder Explosion!"
A violent storm of wind and lightning detonated within him—electricity crackled, thunder snaked across his body, and his aura skyrocketed!
This was his strongest burst technique, temporarily boosting his speed and attack power to an entirely new level!
"I refuse to believe you can block this!"
He stomped on the ground—
BOOM!—The arena cracked apart as his figure shot forward like a lightning bolt!
At this moment, only one thought filled his mind—
"I must defeat her!!"
But—he failed to notice—
Alice's expression remained calm.
There was even a trace of mocking amusement at the corner of her lips.
She slowly raised a finger, shaking her head slightly—
A hint of disappointment in her eyes.
"Foolish."
"A warrior who relies only on brute force, refusing to think and adapt, will inevitably be left behind by time."
Sens' heart trembled violently at those words, as if a bucket of ice-cold water had been poured over him!
But—it was too late for him to think.
Because—
Alice's final attack had already arrived!
"Spirit Ripple—Shockwave!!"
A far more violent, condensed spiritual wave exploded from her—
BOOM!!!
A formless shockwave engulfed the entire arena—directly striking Sens' mental core!
In an instant—
Sens' pupils shrank!
——"ARGHH!!"
It felt like countless blades were slicing through his consciousness, tearing through his very mind.
His limbs instantly lost strength, his body flung into the air like a severed kite!
CRASH!!!
He slammed into the ground, skidding several meters. Blood dripped from his mouth. His eyes turned hollow, his face pale—he couldn't even summon the strength to stand.
—The battle was over.
Sens had lost.
Lost completely.
But the worst part wasn't his physical injuries—
It was the humiliation he felt deep in his soul!
"I... lost to a girl?"
In his fading consciousness—
He heard whispers of mockery around him:
"Sens? Isn't he a wind-thunder dual cultivator? How did he lose so badly?"
"He couldn't even beat a support-type mental caster? What a disgrace."
"So much for being 'strong'..."
"So much for being strong..."
Sens clenched his fingers against the arena floor, his knuckles turning white. His teeth gritted so hard they almost cracked.
"Why?!"
"Why did this happen?!"
He refused to accept it.
He was ranked sixth! He wasn't untalented! He worked just as hard as anyone else!
So why—
Why couldn't he even enter the Top Five?!
But the worst part—
The part that truly infuriated him—
Was Alice's expression.
That casual indifference—
That lack of concern, as if he was never even a worthy opponent.
"Why... are you so strong..." His voice trembled, filled with anger and disbelief.
Alice approached him, looking down with a cold, distant gaze.
Her tone was calm, emotionless—
"Because my goal was never you."
"My vision has never been so small."
Sens' eyes widened—his mind shaken.
For the first time, he understood the difference between them—
It wasn't just about raw strength.
It was their mindset.
From the beginning, Sens' goal was "win this match, enter the Top Five."
But Alice's goal was "to become the strongest."
That—was the fundamental difference between them.
"You lost."
Alice smiled faintly, but there was a hint of disappointment in her eyes.
"But don't be too upset."
She paused, then said calmly—
"Because warriors like you—"
"Who only complain and refuse to evolve—"
"Are destined to be forgotten."
——Sens' body trembled violently!
Her words were like a sharp dagger, piercing straight into his heart!
"I... will be forgotten?"
His lips trembled.
He wanted to argue back—but he couldn't.
Because—
It was the truth.
From the stands—
Veil rubbed his chin, whistling.
"Damn, Alice is savage."
Roy chuckled slightly.
"Savage? No—she's just right."
Veil raised an eyebrow.
"What do you mean?"
Roy glanced at Sens' defeated form, his voice indifferent—
"The world of warriors does not care about your frustrations."
" If you don't become stronger—"
"You will simply be eliminated."
Sens knelt on the ground, fists clenched tightly, his nails digging deep into his palm—blood dripping onto the stone floor.
He lowered his head, silent.
"Eliminated..."
At this moment—
He finally realized—
His world… had been too small.
——From above, the elder's voice echoed across the arena:
"Alice—wins!"